Book Description
In the 1970s and 1980s, before he earned national acclaim for his award-winning novels, Pete Dexter was a newspaper columnist. Every week, in a few hundred words, Dexter cut directly to the heart of the American character at a time of national turmoil and crucial change. With haunting urgency, his columns laid bare the violence, hypocrisy, and desperation he saw on the streets of Philadelphia and in the places he visited across the country. But he reveled, too, in the lighter side of his own life, sharing scenes with the indefatigable Mrs. Dexter, their young daughter, and a series of unforgettable creatures who strayed into their lives. No matter what caught Dexter's eye, it was illuminated by his dark, brilliant humor.
Collected here for the first time are eighty-two of the best of those spellbinding, finely wrought pieces—with a new introduction by the author—assembled by Rob Fleder, editor of the bestselling Sports Illustrated 50th Anniversary Book. Paper Trails is searing, heart-breaking, and irresistibly funny, sometimes all at once. As Pete Hamill says in his foreword, these essays "are as good as it ever gets."
Customer Reviews:
Pete Dexter can WRITE!.......2007-04-06
Boy is Pete Dexter a good writer. This collection of his columns from, among others, the Sacramento Bee and the Philadelphia Inquirer are occasionally a little dark, but never boring, and cover a wide array of subjects. If you've never read Pete Dexter, you should, and this is a good way to get your feet wet; that being said, his novels are not to be missed.
Biting.......2007-04-05
Dexter's stories about life in America may be the most inciteful observations being written today. Spellbinding prose.
Brilliant, fun, sad, poignant ..........2007-03-15
Dexter is truly one of America's greatest writers ... this collection is impossible to put down. If the first piece doesn't grab your heart, you don't have one. This is every bit as good as his novels ... and those are masterpieces.
PETE DEXTER'S UNIQUE STORIES OF LIFE.......2007-02-13
Four FASCINATING Stars! National Book Award-winning writer Pete Dexter wrote kaleidoscopic newspaper columns and magazine articles on his observations of life, love, marriage, death, and everything in between in preceding decades. These 82 vignettes are unique and engrossing, coming from multiple sources Iike Esquire, Sports Illustrated, Redbook, Inside Sports, Philadelphia Daily News, and the Sacramento Bee, focusing on many locations around the country. Although somewhat dated, this book proves the timeless phrase "The more things change, the more they remain the same": case in point, Dexter's 'O. J. Simpson vs the press' viewpoint is right on the money, as O. J. once again regretably rises to the attention of the world.
In the great tradition of writers like Jimmy Breslin, Mr Dexter writes with a keen eye, sardonic wit, and a gift for detail and opinion in rough-edged, highly-descriptive, and presumptive prose. The stories keep coming, letting the reader sometimes read between the lines and fill in missing details: here's how he describes how he rushed from Florida to Philadelphia in mid-winter to accept a much-needed new job: "I arrived three days later with one pair of boots, no coat, running as close to empty as I've ever been", a whale of a winter image in 21 words. You fill in the rest; unshaven, dirty laundry in the back seat? The book is loaded with these.
The specific stories are varied: a salute to a TV newsman murdered on his knees in a foreign country (no, not that newsman and not that country!), the escapades of two friends nicknamed Low Gear and Minus (no kidding!), a mother cat in a dangerous world, a beer throwing contest (seriously!), police stories, courtroom stories, stereotypical views on race but with an underlying fairness and fondness for all men, a paper bag that should have been left alone, murders that could and should have been avoided, an old boxer one should stay away from, and the Brian Spencer-involved murder case that he peels back like an onion. The stories run from the truly interesting to the mundane, but things are never boring based on the grittiness and uniqueness of Mr Dexter's vignettes of life. It may take a couple of stories to get your bearings, but by then he's pulled you into his world. Definitely Recommended!! Four INCISIVE Stars!
(Note: this review is based on an eBook digital download in secure eReader format.)
Book Description
In the year 1689, a cabal of Barbary galley slaves -- including one Jack Shaftoe, aka King of the Vagabonds, aka Half-Cocked Jack -- devises a daring plan to win freedom and fortune. A great adventure ensues -- a perilous race for an enormous prize of silver ... nay, gold ... nay, legendary gold.
In Europe, the exquisite and resourceful Eliza, Countess de la Zeur, is stripped of her immense personal fortune by France's most dashing privateer. Penniless and at risk from those who desire either her or her head (or both), she is caught up in a web of international intrigue, even as she desperately seeks the return of her most precious possession.
Meanwhile, Newton and Leibniz continue to propound their grand theories as their infamous rivalry intensifies, stubborn alchemy does battle with the natural sciences, dastardly plots are set in motion ... and Daniel Waterhouse seeks passage to the Massachusetts colony in hopes of escaping the madness into which his world has descended.
This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.
Download Description
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Continuing the epic adventure begun in the bestselling QUICKSILVER! It is the late 1600s on the high seas. A group of Barbary galley slaves plot amongst themselves as they ply the oars of a pirate ship. These ten men -- unfortunates from around the world impressed into servitude -- have heard whispers of an enormous cache of Spanish gold. Together, they hatch a daring scheme: escape their chains, seize a ship, and discover the gold. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world . . . The beautiful Eliza, toast of Versailles and spy extraordinaire, attempts to return to London with her baby, a child whose paternity remains a mystery. But, as she makes her way home from the Continent, her ship is stopped by a French privateer -- and she is returned to the Sun King's court. And so Eliza is thrown back into a web of international intrigue, and finds herself contending with all manner of characters, including cryptographers, poisoners, Jesuits, financial manipulators, and the stray pirate or two.
In the year 1689, a cabal of Barbary galley slaves -- including one Jack Shaftoe, a.k.a. King of the Vagabonds, a.k.a. Half-Cocked Jack, lately and miraculously cured of the pox -- devises a daring plan to win freedom and fortune. A great adventure ensues, rife with battles, chases, hairbreadth escapes, swashbuckling, bloodletting, and danger -- a perilous race for an enormous prize of silver ... nay, gold ... nay, legendary gold that will place the intrepid band at odds with the mighty and the mad, with alchemists, Jesuits, great navies, pirate queens, and vengeful despots across vast oceans and around the globe.
Customer Reviews:
The Foundation Series for the new millenium.......2007-09-04
Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy/Series is considered one of the great science-fiction collections ever written, forming the basis of countless derivative and inspired works over the past fifty years. The Baroque Cycle will not, unfortunately, inspire fifty years of copycats, for a unique reason: it would be far too difficult to undertake with even moderate effort. This is a nine-book/ three-volume masterpiece of historical fiction that really has no peer in my experience (and please comment if you find any!)
As an aside, I could, at length, review each of the nine books and prattle on endlessly about this or that, but that's far too many reviews for what I intend to say about the Cycle as a whole. My comments apply to all books equally.
The cycle begins in the mid 17th century and spans the adulthood of one Daniel Waterhouse, a fictional contemporary of Isaac Newton. Of course, it also traces the life of one Jack Shaftoe, a fictional hero with his roots in every pirate story ever written or filmed. And then there's the mysterious Enoch Root, popping up again from the Cryptonomicon to move things along as the deux ex machina of certain story elements.
The number of interleaved story lines would be an impressive enough feat of writing, but the historical references were simply amazing. The sheer amount of research Mr. Stephenson invested for the Cycle must have been enormous. In short, Mr. Stephenson describes London before, during, and after the Great Fire of 1666 politically, sociologically, geographically, architecturally, and economically; he performs the same rigor of place-setting with Hanover and present-day Germany, Paris and present-day France, diverse parts of Egypt, Algeria, India, Mexico, South America, and Boston. This is the kind of book series that would inspire high-school students to PAY ATTENTION. For, if the students really do their homework and have a teacher partnered with them to put the book details into their proper context, you could quite possible craft an entire school year around the nine books, such is the depth and breadth of scholastic research involved in putting together such a series. It's no small achievement or idle boast: Mr. Stephenson has in some way taken his education and put it to its greatest use, as an inspiration to students.
All of this would be for naught if the stories weren't truly excellent at their core, and they are. You could boil down the Shaftoe story line to "pirate story" but that sells it short after the first book -- and there are eight more to go. What starts as a pirate story quickly become something of a precursor to spycraft and terrorism/counter-terrorism in the 17th and 18th centuries: currency manipulation, political scandals, and assassinations. I haven't even mentioned Isaac Newton versus Gottfried Leibniz in the battle for Calculus, or Isaac Newton's Alchemy, the reconstruction of London post-fire, the gold trade, the silver trade, piracy in the Atlantic and Pacific, the timber economy, the commodities exchange of northern Europe, the court at Versailles, and so on. I'm astonished as I write this.
This is well-worth the time invested to read, as a Cycle. If Mr. Stephenson ever posted his complete bibliography, or if some doctoral student ever decided to craft that two-semester, eight-course class tracing the book's scholarship, I would be among the first to delve deeply into it and re-learn my forgotten history, mathematics, and economics. Simply, this is one of the finest fiction series ever written.
-Fred
con-fused.......2007-05-14
Stephenson's unique style continues with The Confusion. Two stories are con-fused in this volume: One of Jack Shaftoe and his adventuring cabal, and the other of Eliza and her economic and political machinations. From the first book Jack Shaftoe was one of my favorite characters while Eliza was one of my least favorite, therefore I truly enojyed one half of this volume while only somewhat enjoying the other half.
pirates and action.......2007-05-07
The second book is a fun read as the majority of the characters are already established, bbut the action slows down from the first book. Per the usual "second of a trilogy" book the main characters are sent out away from each other, obviously in preparation for the grand coming together in the third book. If you liked the first one, keep reading. If not, you won't appreciate the second book( and you will not want to read the third). To be honest, I like the Shaftoe characters (Cryptomonical was better balanced) and could have used more of Jack, but the second is a set up for the third so keep reading.
Every Bit as Good as the First Book.......2007-03-22
THE CONFUSION can be every bit as confusing as QUICKSILVER but it is no less delightful. It ever manages that rare feat among trilogies of being a middle book every bit as good as the first. That the first was outstanding means that this is no small accomplishment.
In the grand scheme of things, this can be read as a pirate adventure or, actually, two of them. The first pirate ended the first book being taken prisoner by Barbary pirates. It is now some years later and Jack is still a galley slave but some chums have cooked up a get rich scheme that is not quite as quick as it could be. It involves a diverse cast of characters and, before it is over, Jack has circumnavigated the globes, been a king and had many, many more adventures. Each of them entertaining.
The second pirate is a more sedentary kind. She is a financier and investor who manipulates the English, Dutch, French and Germans with ease. In the process she manages to raise herself from an escaped harem slave to a multinational duchess.
These two have a history from the first book but their paths have diverged since then. Even so, the duchess is never far from the mind of the adventurer. He loves her dearly and she loves him...sort of.
It is a great story that can stand on its own but which is so much better when read after the first book. The baroque plotting and story line are refreshing instead of tedious. This is a masterwork.
He lost me.......2006-12-13
It's rare that I put a book down, however that's what I've done with this series. After reading the first book and somewhat liking it, then reading most of this second book I realized I didn't find all of the storylines interesting. The pirating parts were a blast, good action, interesting planning by Shaftoe et al, but then it's back to Eliza and dreadfully boring political schemes to make money. It was disappointing because she was the best part of the first book!
Perhaps I'll pick it up again when my reading backlog has emptied out, but for now, it's not a big enough satisfaction payoff for time invested. Which is disappointing because before this series Stephenson was tops.
Amazon.com
Few can talk with more personal authority about the range of human beliefs than Michael Shermer. At various times in the past, Shermer has believed in fundamentalist Christianity, alien abductions, Ayn Rand, megavitamin therapy, and deep-tissue massage. Now he believes in skepticism, and his motto is "Cognite tute--think for yourself." This updated edition of Why People Believe Weird Things covers Holocaust denial and creationism in considerable detail, and has chapters on abductions, Satanism, Afrocentrism, near-death experiences, Randian positivism, and psychics. Shermer has five basic answers to the implied question in his title: for consolation, for immediate gratification, for simplicity, for moral meaning, and because hope springs eternal. He shows the kinds of errors in thinking that lead people to believe weird (that is, unsubstantiated) things, especially the built-in human need to see patterns, even where there is no pattern to be seen. Throughout, Shermer emphasizes that skepticism (in his sense) does not need to be cynicism: "Rationality tied to moral decency is the most powerful joint instrument for good that our planet has ever known." --Mary Ellen Curtin
Book Description
In this age of supposed scientific enlightenment, many people still believe in mind reading, past-life regression theory, New Age hokum, and alien abduction. A no-holds-barred assault on popular superstitions and prejudices, with more than 80,000 copies in print, Why People Believe Weird Things debunks these nonsensical claims and explores the very human reasons people find otherworldly phenomena, conspiracy theories, and cults so appealing. In an entirely new chapter, Why Smart People Believe in Weird Things, Michael Shermer takes on science luminaries like physicist Frank Tippler and others, who hide their spiritual beliefs behind the trappings of science.Shermer, science historian and true crusader, also reveals the more dangerous side of such illogical thinking, including Holocaust denial, the recovered-memory movement, the satanic ritual abuse scare, and other modern crazes. Why People Believe Strange Things is an eye-opening resource for the most gullible among us and those who want to protect them.
Customer Reviews:
Good idea just no facts........2007-09-25
"Dr" Shermer seems to be on the same level as a Fundamentalist Christian. He want so badly for others to believe what he believes on in his case what he doesn't believe. He gives you what but not why. Sorry sir but that isn't enough. He falls in the same category as I must preach because I to have doubts about that it is I am preaching about.
Pretty good even if the title is misleading.......2007-09-21
For a while now I've been wondering why smart people around me believe in weird things. Great heavens, I've even met physics professors who believe that the Coriolis's force rotates the waters in a sink! When I saw this book I thought it can answer this question. It certainly tries, even though the author admits that it's a very difficult question. Unfortunately, only about 60 pages out of more than 300 are dedicated to this question, and the writing is complicated, with a lot of philosophical terms. Most of the book, however, is about weird things themselves and debunking them. I thought about taking off one star for that, but the information in those sections, even if unrelated to the book's title, is still very interesting and informative, not to mention well written and sometimes funny, so I reluctantly give the book full marks. The bottom line is I'm not sorry I bought it.
Disappointing.......2007-09-10
The title of the book seemed promising. But the book its self was very disappointing. It is not well organized and the scope of the book and the material presented seem far from each other. What I did not understand was if this was a book which through scientific reasoning showed that people believe in illogical things why include 2-3 chapters about Holocaust??? What's that have to do with it? Is this like a jewish propaganda or something ???
Point of departure..........2007-08-02
We are all guilty. Each of us holds some aspect of the irrational dear to our hearts. A belief that if we just root the right way for our home team, they will triumph. The thought that stepping on a crack will break our mother's back. It is human nature. Michael Shermer addresses some of the larger issues of irrationality and their impact on society at large and humanity in specific. He digs deeply into some very tricky topics and presents a comprehensive and readable treatise on thoguht and behavior.
I found his objective analysis of Holocaust deniers and their beliefs to be sound and free from the emotional rantings of those who simply devolve into ad hominem attacks. What was most interesting was Shermer's posing of a model for odd beliefs. Using the witch trials of the middle ages and a more recent event in rural America (the mad gasser of Mattoon, Illinois to be precise!), Shermer demonstrates how odd beliefs rise and fall in society. Given the speed and nature of the world wide web, one might expect odd beliefs to rise and fall with even more frequency and speed.
Pick up this book in order to refresh your critical thinking skills. As he points out in his Skeptic's Manifesto chapter, the role of the skeptic is not to perpetually doubt, but to maintain an open mind - just not so open one's brains fall out.
Reccommended for anyone interested in reason and skepticism........2007-07-25
If you believe that reason, rationality, and skepticism are the best ways to arrive at a conclusion for any subject, then read this book. If you're conspricacy theory prone, a believer in the paranormal, or believe things first and figure out why later, then you REALLY need to read this book.
Book Description
Research proves that employees will work harder and produce more when they feel appreciated, valued, and understood. Easier said than done?
Effective Coaching explains how you can:
Apply good coaching methods in the workplace;
Quickly establish the discipline you need in a cooperative, non-threatening atmosphere
Instinctively use effective problem solving strategies in every situation
You know your company needs its employees. Make sure they know that. Management strategies and techniques presented in Effective Coaching will help you dramatically improve employee performance, and maximize the measurable value received from each employee.
Customer Reviews:
A fine overview of the dynamics of interpersonal leadership........1999-04-03
After reading the book Effective Coaching, by Marshall J. Cook, I now have some helpful insights about the role of coaching. I initially wanted to see how closely the role of coach and mentor was, and decided to see if this could help make that distinction. As I soon discovered the many hats that coaches wear, I began to see that all the "hats" started to look very similar. Coaching and mentoring are similarly focused disciplines.
Coaching is not about control; it is empowerment, and leading by example. The role of coach is very dynamic. Many good intentions drive a coach to reach the learner, and depending on what situations are presented, the coach must be prepared and skilled to handle it. This book illustrates effective coaching techniques through the use of various scenarios.
The chapters are organized into sub groups of the different roles a coach can be. "As a coach, you must be problem solver, trainer, teacher, mentor and corrector." Some of the skills covered are good questioning, being a good listener, problem solving, addressing change, overcoming obstacles, and valuable communication strategies. Plus bonus principles for good coaching and good living. All chapters have smart management tips that incorporate these skills to help you avoid potential real-life roadblocks and to put you into the Coach's and learner's perspectives.
Throughout the book, the margins have helpful keys to the terms and the author has flavored each chapter with cases that relate to the chapter's theme. I enjoyed the voice the author used to express himself in each chapter. You find yourself quickly acknowledging the main points that are introduced. Each chapter concludes with a coach's checklist where all the pertinent points are restated. This is a book that I have underlined and highlighted for future reference.
Customer Reviews:
Wow! I get it now!.......2007-09-04
This was amazing. She breaks the complex down to its simplest form. I've NEVER understood guys. Just thought they were from another planet. Now I understand what's going on!
Don't go through life without this knowledge!.......2007-06-05
Alison Armstrong delivers powerful, life-changing information with humor, wisdom and compassion! In Sync with the Opposit Sex offers both men and women unique insight regarding the various different ways each gender thinks and feels. While everything she says won't apply to everyone, by and large, her assertions are true -- and if you don't believe it at first, all you have to do is TRY one of her suggestions and watch the magic happen. Better yet, attend one of the "Celebrating Men, Satisfying Women" weekend seminars for a complete life-transforming experience.
I can guarantee two things from listening to this CD: you will laugh (out loud!) and your heart will be filled with compassion for the opposite sex!
I wish I knew about this years ago..........2007-02-12
I attended one of the "Understanding Men" workshops and they were selling this CD set for over $100. I was so glad to see it here for much less. After listening to all 4 cds, I have to say that I wish I had something like this years ago. The speaker is so engaging and it is very well done. I was never bored listening to the various topics. The content is for both men and women, but I think this probably appeals to mostly women. Alison explains in great detail what all the "mysteries" are about both sexes. She spends a lot of time on men, so I was happy about that. My #1 lesson I learned was that we should be eternally happy when someone breaks up with us because that means you don't have to waste your time anymore and can move on to the next person. Duh! Her advice is so simple and straightforward and makes perfect sense. My friend also listened to the cds and she also learned a lot from them. I highly recommend In Sync With The Opposite Sex to anyone unhappy with their love life.
Clear thinking for more successful dating.......2007-01-07
I've been a single (divorced) guy for a long time, have read some good books and attended some very good workshops on relationships -- and I have accreted some rather successful insights and skills and some wonderful relationships over the years. Now, Alison Armstrong has developed and refined a very useful vocabulary, a terrific flow of practical concepts and specific suggestions for getting much better results in our effort to identify and attract a great partner.
There is real wisdom here, and real-life tools, for today's world of dating and relationships. With 4.5 hours edited from a live seminar, Armstrong makes it fun and exciting to learn more about the "opposite" sex -- and about ourselves.
My wonderful daughter gifted these CDs to me, and I am very grateful -- I am already seeing impressive results in how I think and who I am attracting.
Customer Reviews:
An Answer For A World Morally Confused.......2007-03-05
Do you believe that life today is so confusing? And do you believe that the modern world is morally confused? If you do, you will find Peter Kreeft's "Back to Virtue" stimulating and enlightening. Kreeft examines modern civilization and why it is at risk. He poses the question, "What ever became of virtue?" and proceeds to examine the absence of virtue in today's world and why it's absence has led to moral confusion.
"Back to Virtue" begins with review of spiritual history and how we got to this state of confusion. In modern life, life flows from the modern world view that there is no God; therefore we play God to the world. As a result, we do not have any shared principles (virtues) as each person can decide what is virtuous and what is not. There is no notion of any universal and objective morality, no meeting place.
The rest of Kreeft's work (most of the book) examines the key to eliminating confusion, personal virtue. He goes into great detail examining each - the four cardinal virtues and the three theological virtues - and the role each plays in an ordered world. He ends with a beautiful discussion of the Beatitudes and their role in confronting the seven deadly sins. You will be stimulated, enlightened, and motivated by each of these discussions.
"The patient, Western civilization, may indeed die soon and will certainly die some day, for everything human is mortal. But it need not die now. Though we are sliding towards the abyss...we can (still) turn back the clock which keeps false time." All we need to do is grab onto the footholds presented in this book - the cardinal virtues, the theological virutes, and the Beatitudes. "We are the slaves of time and the masters of morality rather than vice versa. We can return."
Virtue light with revolting analogies.......2006-04-10
While Peter Kreeft does provide a very accessible introduction to the traditional virtues and their corollaries, he certainly does not probe their actual depths. Josef Pieper's THE CARDINAL VIRTUES, though a bit more difficult, is by far worth the extra time for anyone seriously interested.
My chief complaint is Kreeft's writing style, "pop-style". In addition to incorrect punctuation (the semi-colon, in particular), his analogies are terribly revolting. Here's one example:
"Why is it that nothing can make us as sorrowful as love? It is the same reason that nothing can make us as joyful as love. I love we become the other, we slough off our skin like a snake. Underneath that hard, protective coat of otherness and ego, thre is new flesh, incomparably more sensitive than the outer skin. The heart is like a newborn bay. It is our spiritual erogenous zone, capable of exquisite joy and and exquisite sufferings by its extreme sensitivity. We appropriately cover and protect these privy parts of the soul, just as we do to the corresponding parts of the body. But when we love, we expose them, to pleasures or pains beyond imaginings."
If that doesn't irk you, the book will be fine for you.
Good but not the logical analysis I expected.......2006-02-28
Peter Kreeft does show that the reformist where misguided in rejecting the cardinal virtues of Plato and Aristotle, just as we would be misguided by rejecting Newtonian Physics after learning Einstein's theories of relativity. You need to understand Newton in order to understand Einstein and you need to have a basic knowledge of logic and virtues in order to understand the Bible. However, he does not show exactly how the Cardinal virtues are derived from logic alone. Why only 4? Why isn't love a more important virtue than wisdom, fortitude, justice or temperance?
SOOO good.......2005-10-02
This book sat on our bookshelf for several years before I picked it up one day out of boredom. What a wonderful suprise to discover Peter Kreeft. This book gave me pause to step back from our modern world in which anything goes to see that we do live in a world of good and evil--sin and virtue. These distinctions are not to be ignored, because, as he writes, they are of "life and death" proportions.
Peter Kreeft is the modern day G.K. Chesterton. Don't miss him.
Virtue-Can We recover It?.......2001-06-13
Philosopher and Cultural Critic Peter Kreeft has written an outstanding book discussing virture in Western Culture. He opens the book by asking "Is Virtue Out of Date?". This sets the tone as he spends the next couple of chapters on how Western Culture got to the point in the lack of virtue we now see before us.
The middle of his book discusses the "Cardinal Virtues" and "Theological Virtues" and their importance. He then does a comparison and contrast between the "Beatitudes" and the "Seven Deadley Sins." His conculsion is a little too short for such a profound work, yet rating this important book four stars would not do it justice. Four and a half would be more appropiate, so I'm rounding it off at five stars.
A Must read for all Christians in Western Culture, and others who are concern about the decline of virtue in our culture.
Book Description
This hands-on guidebook adapts the Dzogchen path for the modern student while adhering to traditional principles. The book is based on the direct, accessible style of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and offers a thorough grounding in how to study, contemplate, and meditate in this rich spiritual environment. Guided by an introductory teaching by Rinpoche, as well as 42 selected teachings from great Dzogchen masters, readers learn to access the pure, clear awareness that lies hidden under the constant flow of anxious thoughts.
Book Description
As in all his books, Heckler draws from personal experience: training his horse, cultivating presence in aikido dojos, consulting with business executives, raising children. A masterful and encompassing book, Holding the Center develops from the fulcrum of the self in the natural world. Many of Heckler’s lessons arise from his life as a householder and father. Community is a larger family—we make alliances to “take care of what matters to us.” But, as Heckler teaches, that takes listening to others with an open heart, and learning what the needs of others are.
The world can be a sanctuary, if we find a balance between instinct and choice. Richard Strozzi Heckler sounds an important call about the interplay between power and generosity in these subtle and luminous essays.
Customer Reviews:
I love this book.......2005-08-21
I was introduced to Richard's work through a friend who had been in the Marines for years. I carry this book with me when I travel and turn to it often when I need to hear a piece of wisdom or guidance to move me along on my path. His voice is compassionate but strong - it's a beautiful model for how to be with my own questioning self. I highly recommend this book to anyone who's looking for insight towards a more integrated path of body, spirit, and mind.
Beautiful, timeless, and nice intro to somatics too!.......2004-07-18
Richard Strozzi-Heckler's book is a collection of essays, each standing on its own, but weaving a theme that Richard teaches in all of his programs -- a place of "center."
I am studying somatics with Richard through his Strozzi Institute, and I keep returning to "Holding the Center," re-reading his stories and distinctions around what creates center in our lives (connection to self, place, others, etc.).
Later in this slim collection, you'll find rich descriptions of somatic length (connection to what we care about), somatic width (how we connect on the social dimension), and somatic depth (how we connect our inner and outer worlds).
Richard describes many ways in which our bodies tell stories, such as the fallen, caved-in stance of "capitulation," which has lost connection to vision and a meaningful "for sake of what" in life. He talks about the balance between "containment" and "contact" in the social dimension. And, he talks about the different shapes of the "emerging self" compared to the current physical form in a person's body. The sections on somatics are really quite rich.
Study of the body is a gift, since the body can only live in the present, "never lies," and is how we put our inspiration and ideas into action in the world.
Spend time with this book. It is poetic at times and always thought-provoking.
An excellent makes-you-think book.......2000-03-28
I don't know what words I can use to adequately describe Dr. Heckler's work. Enlightening, thought provoking and comforting are among the few. As a former serviceman and martial artist this book provided me with a wonderful insight into the world around me. Dr. Heckler has put a wonderful mix of real life experiences and combined them with a incredible insight. I was particularily moved with the section on 'Community' when he attended an international health converence and met an Ojibway Native American named Russell. I have read this book many times when things in my life get complicated and I would recommend it highly to anyone who seeks a balance in their life, or just a relaxing feel-good book for rainy days.
Book Description
If your life is changing -- or you wish it would -- let bestselling life-change counselor Carol Adrienne help you:
- Locate where you are in the cycle of change.
- Move forward after setbacks or losses.
- Recognize and revise limited thinking.
- Attract positive opportunities.
- Discover clues hidden in everyday events.
- Tap into the wisdom of your intuition.
- Affirm your ability to handle whatever happens.
When Life Changes or You Wish It Would is for anyone who isn't happy with the status quo and wants to take life to the next level. Change can be exhilarating and terrifying -- often both at the same time. Carol Adrienne has helped thousands pursue their heart's desire. If you face challenges in family, career, or other areas, or feel stuck or fearful, Carol Adrienne can help you find your mission and keep your focus as you forge ahead into the unknown.
Customer Reviews:
Life-Changing Book.......2007-10-08
This book provided insights and information that have changed my life. I have since bought copies for friends and they agree that it is a book that will quide you through the tough times and keep you on track to achieve your goals and dreams.
Book Description
Dzogchen Essentials offers a collection of teachings which are principally about clarifying confusion, the mistaken ways we normally relate to our perceptions of environment, body, and senses. Rather than continue the habits of insisting on a solid reality, we are given skillful alternatives and practices and the method to integrate them with the view of the Great Perfection.
Dzogchen Essentials is for the dedicated Vajrayana student. Carrying on from The Dzogchen Primer, it contains a wide range of selections upholding the style of the simple meditator, including pieces by Padmasambhava, Tulku Thondup, Dilgo Khyentse, Dudjom, Tulku Urgyen, Sogyal and Chugyam Trungpa, Rinpoches. Additional sources and facilitator's guidelines enrich study groups and nurture the lone practitioner.
Customer Reviews:
Dzogchen Essentials.......2005-03-24
"Dzogchen Essentials" along with its companion version, "Dzogchen Primer: The Path That Clarifies Confusion," are truly essential readings for those interested in progressing along the Buddhist path of spiritual transformation. In essence, these are compendiums of ingeniously selected and elegantly translated works from some of the great Tibetan meditation masters. Readings range from ancient masters such as Padmasambhava up to contemporary masters such as Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and Sogyal Rinpoche. For the first time, these collections offer readers a range of insightful guidance and heart-felt instructions from Tibetan masters of the profound Dzogchen meditation tradition. These books are among the few in English that make available these precious treasures of Tibetan Buddhist spiritual literature -- making them truly essential readings.
A Ruse or Just a Mistitled Work?.......2004-08-10
I received this book today with the hope that it contained primary texts on the practice of Dzogchen. To my misappointment, instead I found a hodge podge of various "tantric" or "vajrayana" materials consisting of ngondro or foundational practices, general information on generation and completion stages, a few randomly placed songs of realization, etc. However, there was little Dzogchen materials. What I did find is that the title "Dzogchen Essentials" meant not texts or materials on "Dzogchen", but materials taken from the "Dzogchen Tradition" meaning the "Nyingma" and related traditions. It appears that Dzogchen which is a profound and serious practice tradition has fallen prey to popular trends or fads. Just like the word "tantra", it is now over used and is in fact being abused to sell or package Tibetan and related materials that have a possible undual flavour or esoteric content beyond conventional or basic Mahayana practices. Too bad, the book's title and pre-reviews held out so much potential for a possibly excellent publication. It appears the editor has done this before in an earlier work called "Dzogchen Primer". In that work there are good materials, but it is certainly not a "primer" on Dzogchen. It has tantra, mahamudra, etc. and just a few Dzogchen oriented materials. I wish authors would not just try to take advantage of the public, especially in the presentation of books of this genre that purport to be authentic treatises on a specific and serious subject area. One side comment -- If you want a book on general overall Vajrayana intructions, its not bad. However, if you want Dzogchen, look else where for books by Namkhai Norbu, John Reynolds, Longchenpa, Jigme Lingpa, Dudjom Rinpoche and others. There are many and they are authentic Dzogchen texts and practice materials, etc.
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